INTRODUCTION ITINERARY ARGENTINA - TREKKING TO THE CLOUDS TRIP CODE ARTSTTC DEPARTURE DURATION. 4 Days LOCATIONS. Argentina

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1 INTRODUCTION Live this amazing experience in the NorthWest region of. Walking in the mountains through the ancient Inca trail, this journey will take you to discover ruins, spectacular views and landscapes. Enjoy warm moments with local inhabitants sharing dinners and campfire in camping sites. Break on through the clouds and join this adventure! The Trekking to the Clouds. This journey takes place quite near the city of Salta, in the North-West region of. That portion of the country more than 500 years ago used to be the southernmost part of the Inca empire, therefore the origin of remaining ruins and path. ITINERARY

2 DAY 1: Salta The trip begins at the bus terminal in the city of Salta. We took the bus that goes to San Antonio de los Cobres (departs at 8 am time to be confirmed on each departure as it may vary). We got off the bus at the Gendarmerie Outpost of Ingeniero Maury, next to a school. After checking in the luggage and backpacks for the day, we provide lunch boxes, fill our water bottles and start walking. The first part is uphill. The trail is well marked and the slopes are mild / moderate but continuous. As we ascend the Quebrada del Toro starts looming before us in all its glory as well as the snowy peaksof Mount San Miguel and Acay behind the hills. After three hours of walking uphill we reach "La Virgen del Caminante" (The pilgrim s Virgin) reference point for many mountaineers in the area. From this point the path continues with intermittent ascents and descents but mostly downhill. Our destination is Sillón del Inca ruins, where our first camp will take place. We'll have some spare time to walk around the area at this archaeological site that was once part of the Inca Empire. DAY 2: Sillon del Inca The second day we start from Sillón del Inca and the path will lead us over the 3,000 meters. We walk along one of the most beautiful places of agricultural production in the area, and if we are lucky, we will see some condors flying over us. We continue the road with a slight increase up to the maximum height of travel in the crossing clearing, reaching 3418 meters above sea level. Here the journey will show us one of the most spectacular views of the trip. From this point well above the clouds you will get to see all the Lerma Valley and the city of Salta. Then the trail descends and leads us, accompanied by spectacular views, to the site of our second camp. The camp takes place in the company of local people who have their agricultural production ranch. Here we can share experiences and learn about the lifestyle of the current inhabitants of the area.

3 DAY 3: Forest of Yungas The third day the trail leads us closer to the typical wetland forest of Yungas. We left our camp and began to descend. Here the views are completely different from what they used to be in the previous two days. After a short hike we find that some trees and vegetation begin to grow on the mountains. We found Rivers and waterfalls. The trail continues in slight decline to the point where two mountain rivers meet. At this point those who opted for the Express version of Trekking to the Clouds go on another trail continuing their way down the river a few kilometers to the meeting point on the vehicle that will take us to Salta. The rest of the group continues upstream, and then goes into the Yungas. Here there is a first slight rise that gets more intense towards the end of the walk. DAY 4: Forest of Yungas to Salta We began the last day of our tour, already immersed in Salta Yunga. The trail goes along charming landscapes towards the city of Salta. Walking on the edge of the mountain, we enjoy the flora and fauna of the region, in contact, every few kilometers, with local inhabitants who breed their cattle in these inhospitable places. The last part of the tour will take us to the foot of the city of Salta, in the Quebrada de San Lorenzo. Once in the Quebrada we share a few drinks, to end the trip by returning on a bus to the city of Salta. INCLUSIONS & DETAILS Accommodation Hotels and Tents

4 Inclusions Local bus ticket from Salta to Ing. Maury and return ticket from Quebrada de San Lorenzo to Salta. Trekking to the Clouds Express includes transfer to Salta from Astilleros river. Camping equipment (tents, cooking utensils, heaters, etc.). Specialized Bilingual Guide (Spanish/English) throughout the program. An additional assistant in groups of 6 or more travelers. All meals detailed in the program itinerary. Load of individual luggage: sleeping bag, clothing and insulation up to 7 kg. 3 nights camping (Trekking to the Clouds) / 2 nights camping (Express). First aid equipment. Spot satellite for emergencies NOT INCLUDED Air tickets. Personal expenses and tips. Meals not mentioned in the program. Accommodation in Salta. Sleeping bags. Alcoholic beverages. Health Insurance Difficulty Rating Single Surcharge Notes Price Dependent upon 4 (Good fitness level required) FROM US$100 - Subject to season and availability, contact us for more details. Contact us for more details Season and availability SUSTAINABILITY Chimu Adventures undertakes a number of sustainability measures within its operations including: 1) Only using local guides and office staff to both maximise local employment opportunities and minimise carbon footprints. Local guides also ensure you benefit from the intimate knowledge, passion and culture of the country you re visiting. 2) Where possible, using locally owned and operated boutique hotels to maximise the return to the local community. 3) Chimu s Pass it on programme has provided funding to hundreds of local community projects in Latin America. Our aim is to empower local communities, helping them to develop their own infrastructure for the future. Since 2006, we have been working with Kiva (a well-known Non-Governmental Organisation), providing hundreds of loans to local businesses all over South America.

5 4) In our pre tour information we provide a range of tips and advice on how to minimise your impact on both local environments and communities. 5) Chimu Adventures offices also take a number of sustainability measures including carbon offsets for company vehicles and most staff travel. Chimu Adventure s internal processes are also structures to create a paperless office and to reduce waste. There are also internal programmes to help staff minimise their carbon footprint such as our staff bike purchase assistance plan which encourages office staff to commute to work via bicycle. Currently almost half of our office based staff commute to work via bicycle.